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Viewing cable 08LAPAZ1294, BOLIVIA: RESPONSE TO INFORMATION ON FORCED LABOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08LAPAZ1294 2008-06-10 17:21 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy La Paz
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #1294 1621721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101721Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7687
UNCLAS LA PAZ 001294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOL/ILAB: RACHEL RIGBY; DRL/ILCSR: MARK MITTELHAUSER; 
G/TIP: STEVE STEINER. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON ELAB BL EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA:  RESPONSE TO INFORMATION ON FORCED LABOR 
AND CHILD LABOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS FOR MANDATORY 
CONGRESSIONAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 
 
REF: STATE 43120 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  In response to State 43120, Labor Officer held 
meetings with USAID, the Bolivian Ministry of Labor, NGO 
Proadolescente, and UNICEF.  Three areas of concern regarding 
the use of child labor and forced labor are the sugar, Brazil 
nut, and mining industries.  Sources were not able to give 
specific violator companies but rather emphasized Bolivian 
society's tolerant attitude toward child labor.  In most 
cases it is the parents who force their children to work. 
Through the Ministry of Labor's Commission for the 
Eradication of Child Labor, the Bolivian government has 
several programs to combat child labor and forced labor. 
UNICEF reports excellent working relations with the 
Ministries of Labor, Education, and Health.  The following 
reflects the information obtained about each specific 
industry. 
 
2.  SUGAR:  Thousands of indigenous Bolivians are recruited 
annually to work in the sugar camps located in the Eastern 
region of Bolivia (Santa Cruz and Tarija departments). 
Normally, the male workers are unable to meet their required 
"quota" so they then enlist family members (spouse, minor 
children) to assist and supplement production.  Thus the 
minor children are unable to attend schools and must work 
long hours in the fields.  UNICEF Official Patrizia Benvenuti 
also said there are cases of induced indebtedness in the 
sugar industry.  Workers recruited to work in the fields are 
advanced money against their future salary.  The debts 
increase once on-site due to high costs charged these workers 
for food, shelter, etc. 
 
3.  Eva Udaeta, Director of the Bolivian Ministry of Labor's 
Commission for the Eradication of Child Labor, points out the 
Ministry's successful tripartite program, in which the 
Ministry of Labor, with workers unions and sugar cane field 
owners formed a working group in 2005.  Udaeta says that the 
owners "know it (child labor) is a problem" and have signed 
an agreement to use best practices in the industry.  The 
tripartite group addresses salaries, housing conditions, 
health and education.  The Ministry of Labor employs two 
inspectors in the sugar cane industry. 
 
4.  BRAZIL NUT:  There is a similar situation in the Brazil 
nut industry in the Amazonian region of northern Bolivia 
(Pando and Beni departments).  Production quotas placed on 
workers are often unreachable and so men enlist family 
members to satisfy their respective work requirements.  The 
Ministry of Labor is trying to establish a tripartite group 
similar to the sugar group.  UNICEF's Program Coordinator 
Clemencia Aramburu said child labor in the Brazil nut 
industry is a real problem but "you cannot classify all 
Bolivian Brazil nuts as a product of child or forced labor." 
UNICEF is finalizing a study of the Bolivian nut industry and 
will make it available to Post.  OPIC insures a Brazil nut 
factory in the Beni and conducted an inspection in June 2007 
that found no child labor.  The Ministry of Labor, through 
UNICEF funding, employs one inspector in the Riberalta area 
of Beni. 
 
5.  MINING:  The mining industry is labor intensive and 
employs minor children in unhealthy working conditions.  The 
mining centers of Oruro and Potosi departments employ 
thousands of indigenous Bolivians.  Private cooperative 
mining groups are loosely regulated and usually formed by 
groupings of various families.  The result is the use of 
child labor.  Raquel Zurita of the NGO Proadolescente says 
that one of the most difficult issues in the mining industry 
are indigenous cultural beliefs (Aymaran and Quechuan) that 
accept and even promote the use of child labor.  The Ministry 
of Labor, through UNICEF funding, employs one inspector in 
Potosi. 
 
6.  COMMENT: Both UNICEF and NGO Proadolescente gave high 
marks to the Ministry of Labor for its efforts to curb child 
and forced labor.  High marks were also given to the sugar 
and Brazil nut industry owners for acknowledging that the 
problem exists and working to take steps against such 
incidences.  UNICEF would like to initiate a "child free 
labor" certificate program in Bolivia but acknowledges this 
is still in the planning phase.  However, all groups 
consulted mentioned a culture of permissiveness and 
acceptance when it comes to child labor in Bolivia.  End 
comment. 
GOLDBERG